Jiang Si Yu watched Zhan Mo Han speak gently and lovingly to Wei Yu Meng, a tenderness she could only dream of, which Wei Yu Meng had so easily taken.
"Alright, I'll go rest for a bit. You work hard."
Wei Yu Meng tidied Zhan Mo Han's clothes and tie, then turned and entered the lounge.
Zhan Mo Han's smile lingered until the lounge door closed. Only then did he return to his usual stern demeanor. "How are the meeting preparations? Report your progress."
Jiang Si Yu's face stiffened. Did she not deserve to see him smile? He could be so generous with his smiles for Wei Yu Meng, yet so stingy with her.
Distracted, she made numerous mistakes during her report, causing Zhan Mo Han's expression to darken progressively.
"You don't need to attend the meeting this afternoon," he delivered his final verdict after she finished her report.
Hearing Zhan Mo Han's words, Jiang Si Yu's heart sank. She immediately questioned, "Why? This meeting is very important, I must attend."
Zhan Mo Han did not deny the meeting's importance. "This meeting is indeed crucial, but your current state is not good. To avoid any complications, you should not attend. Fang Xun, adjust the attendee list."
Fang Xun received the order and promptly left the office, fearing he might laugh out loud and be overheard by Jiang Si Yu if he lingered any longer. The boss was finally showing some sense, coaxing his wife and maintaining a safe distance from irrelevant people.
Meanwhile, inside the lounge, Wei Yu Meng hadn't fallen asleep immediately. The lounge door wasn't soundproof, and she could clearly hear Zhan Mo Han's words.
Jiang Si Yu, already deeply discouraged, was now stripped of her meeting privileges. She felt increasingly hurt and couldn't help but ask Zhan Mo Han, "A Han, are you really treating me like this?"
Zhan Mo Han finally looked up at her. "I told you, we are merely in a cooperative relationship. You made mistakes at work and your attitude is unprofessional. Not letting you attend is to mitigate losses."
"Cooperative relationship?" Jiang Si Yu gave a bitter laugh. "Are we just in a cooperative relationship, A Han? You know very well that's not what I mean."
Zhan Mo Han certainly knew. Since she brought it up again, he saw no harm in being direct. "In my eyes, we are only in a cooperative relationship, one that can be terminated at any time. I've told you more than once not to have any improper thoughts or resort to unnecessary tactics. The only person in my heart is Wei Yu Meng, and only her. Do you understand?"
Jiang Si Yu stared silently at the man before her. She refused to accept that every time Zhan Mo Han spoke at length with her, it was to defend Wei Yu Meng. She also refused to accept a cooperative relationship that could be terminated at any moment. She was unwilling, and she didn't believe she was inferior to Wei Yu Meng in any way.
However, Zhan Mo Han had no desire to say anything more to her. He pointed to the door. "If you didn't hear clearly, I can repeat myself. If you understood, then leave."
"You really don't want to see me, do you, A Han?" Jiang Si Yu's voice trembled with a hint of tears, but Zhan Mo Han remained unmoved.
"Leave."
After facing his indifference multiple times, Jiang Si Yu said no more, clutching her files as she left Zhan Mo Han's office.
On the other side, the lounge door was quietly closed.
Wei Yu Meng tiptoed back to bed, pulled up the covers. Zhan Mo Han's actions had quelled the last sliver of unease in her heart. It seemed Jiang Si Yu's feelings were indeed one-sided.
As she was moved by Zhan Mo Han's protection, she suddenly heard the sound of the door opening. She quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, not wanting Zhan Mo Han to discover her hidden thoughts.
However, Zhan Mo Han already knew she had been eavesdropping. Seeing her peaceful expression, he was assured that she wasn't upset by Jiang Si Yu's entanglement. He then gently kissed her cheek.
Only after the lounge door closed did Wei Yu Meng open her eyes. She touched the spot where he had kissed her and couldn't help but smile.
Zhan Mo Han, thank you for resolutely choosing me. I will show you that your choice will never be wrong.
She caressed her lower abdomen and whispered, "Baby, Mommy will give birth to you safely, and Daddy will protect you both."
In a much better mood, she soon drifted off to sleep. Outside, Mu Lin Jing had become busy.
Jiang Si Yu emerged from the office and, in her bad mood, berated several employees, sending their proposals back for revisions.
Mu Lin Jing was one of them. Her proposal was actually fine; before Zhan Mo Han's arrival, Fang Xun had reviewed it, and it was for the meeting that day.
Jiang Si Yu rejected it without even looking, likely taking out her frustration on Mu Lin Jing because she couldn't do anything about Wei Yu Meng.
Mu Lin Jing wasn't about to let it slide. After Jiang Si Yu haughtily dropped the file on her desk and left, Mu Lin Jing quietly went to Jiang Si Yu's office and deleted the files from her computer with a single click.
Though they were meeting documents, since her own proposal had been approved, these were no longer necessary.
Next, she casually downloaded a novel from the internet and took it to the print room on a USB drive.
She printed her own proposal first, then transferred the novel from the USB drive to the computer and began printing.
With over ten printers in operation, none were idle. At this rate, it would be well past closing time before they finished.
A little later, Jiang Si Yu rushed back from outside, fiddled with her computer for a while, and then headed to the print room with her USB drive.
Mu Lin Jing couldn't help but stifle a laugh. She was eager to see what tricks Jiang Si Yu had up her sleeve to prepare and deliver a meeting proposal to the conference room in just ten minutes.
Jiang Si Yu arrived at the print room and saw all the printers occupied. There were no free machines, and some had even run out of paper.
Looking at the print progress on the computer, which was less than ten percent complete, she knew that even if she left to print elsewhere, she couldn't get the documents to the office within ten minutes.
Zhan Mo Han had already cited her poor condition as a reason for her exclusion from the meeting. If she couldn't even manage to deliver a proposal, she wondered if Zhan Mo Han would fly into a rage.
As she pondered this, her phone rang. It was Fang Xun. "Have the documents arrived?"
With no other choice, she explained the current situation to Fang Xun.
Upon hearing this, Zhan Mo Han's brow furrowed. "You can't even handle this simple task?"
Fang Xun quickly interjected, "Miss Mu Lin Jing had prepared a proposal earlier, which I intended to use. She had already printed it, but Miss Jiang just rejected it."
Zhan Mo Han had confidence in Fang Xun's abilities and knew without guessing why Jiang Si Yu had rejected Mu Lin Jing's proposal.
"Have Mu Lin Jing bring the proposal in."
Mu Lin Jing had been waiting outside. Upon receiving Fang Xun's notification, she immediately carried the documents into the conference room.
Jiang Si Yu arrived just in time to see her leaving the conference room. After a moment's thought, she realized she had been set up.
Furious, she found Mu Lin Jing and, disregarding her image, shouted at her. The stimulation from Zhan Mo Han that day had been immense, and Mu Lin Jing became her outlet.
They were all familiar with each other, and Mu Lin Jing understood the reason for Jiang Si Yu's breakdown. She deliberately rubbed salt into the wound. "What's not yours will never be yours, and what's stolen must eventually be returned. It's the same with proposals, don't you think, Miss Jiang?"
"Anything I want, I get."
Mu Lin Jing tutted and shook her head. "But my proposal has already been submitted. Miss Jiang, sometimes being excellent doesn't necessarily mean being suitable. Moreover, the word 'excellent' is too subjective. Self-satisfaction is completely useless."
Both women spoke with veiled meanings, neither willing to back down.
Jiang Si Yu, leveraging her higher position, looked at Mu Lin Jing with disdain. "Believe it or not, I can make you disappear from this company with a single word."
Mu Lin Jing sneered. This woman must be driven mad by stress to say such things. "Aren't you afraid Mr. Zhan will hear you?"
Jiang Si Yu was indeed losing control. Her past image was shattered by her actions today. Mu Lin Jing's question made her suddenly aware of her失态 (loss of composure), but it was too late.
Zhan Mo Han stood directly behind her, his tone displeased. "I wasn't aware the company had changed its name to Jiang. When did that happen?"
"A Han?" Jiang Si Yu was stunned. "Weren't you in a meeting?"
Zhan Mo Han's face darkened. "I should have been in a meeting, but it's too noisy outside, disturbing my mood."
He was hinting at something, and Jiang Si Yu understood. She had indeed lost her composure. "I'm sorry."
Zhan Mo Han's cold gaze swept over the onlookers before returning to Jiang Si Yu. "Since when has the company allowed superiors to dismiss employees arbitrarily? I wasn't aware of this policy."
Jiang Si Yu was at a loss, standing frozen and speechless.
"I see you haven't been in good spirits lately. Go home and rest for a while."
Jiang Si Yu hadn't expected Zhan Mo Han to say this and momentarily lost control of her emotions. "A Han, are you using this as an excuse?"
Zhan Mo Han neither confirmed nor denied it, simply instructing everyone to return to the conference room to continue the meeting. Clearly, he had no intention of engaging in further conversation with Jiang Si Yu.
Seeing him turn away decisively, Jiang Si Yu's tears almost fell. He was so eager to show Wei Yu Meng his stance, even resorting to such heartless words disguised as work matters.
She wiped away a tear, realizing she was still at the company with everyone watching, especially Mu Lin Jing.
She immediately forced herself to stop crying and regained her usual haughty demeanor.
Seeing Mu Lin Jing with a smug look, she gritted her teeth and said, "Don't get cocky. The day will come when you'll cry."
"You all," of course, included Wei Yu Meng. Mu Lin Jing, however, was unconcerned. "You don't need to worry about whether we cry. But now that you've offended Mr. Zhan, it's questionable whether we can continue working together."
Given Zhan Mo Han's temper, if he had given her leave now, it likely meant he didn't expect her to return.
This was a truth Mu Lin Jing understood, and Jiang Si Yu knew it too. But since Zhan Mo Han had already spoken, she couldn't linger around, as it would only further alienate him.
For now, she could only retreat, seeing it as a strategic move.
However, as she turned, she saw Wei Yu Meng standing not far away, watching her. She didn't know how long she had been there or what she had heard.
When rivals meet, and Jiang Si Yu was in such an undignified state, her previous arrogance vanished. Yet, facing Wei Yu Meng, she didn't want to lose face. As she approached her, she whispered, "Don't get too smug. A Han will eventually see through your true colors."
Wei Yu Meng smiled faintly. "Then I'll be waiting, Miss Jiang. I won't see you out."
Jiang Si Yu was so choked up she couldn't speak, managing only to glare at her fiercely before stomping away in her heels.
In fact, Wei Yu Meng had only just arrived. She had been sleeping soundly when Mu Lin Jing suddenly called her. Drowsily, she picked up and heard Zhan Mo Han scolding someone.
Listening carefully, she realized it was Jiang Si Yu. Mu Lin Jing playfully urged her to go see off her rival, so she came out and caught Jiang Si Yu as she was leaving.
It had to be said, she felt a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude towards Zhan Mo Han and Mu Lin Jing, who were both helping her vent her anger in their own ways.
"How was it, satisfying?"
Mu Lin Jing bumped her shoulder and discreetly gave a middle finger in Jiang Si Yu's direction.
Wei Yu Meng couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course, it was satisfying. Thank you, Lin Jing."
Mu Lin Jing thought for a moment. "Simple. Ask Mr. Zhan to give me a raise."
Wei Yu Meng found that prospect difficult. Judging by Fang Xun alone, Zhan Mo Han, as a boss, embodied the quintessential nature of a businessman.
She could only say she would try her best.
Zhan Mo Han's meeting lasted the entire afternoon. Wei Yu Meng was bored and famished by the time he returned to his office.
Seeing her slumped over the desk, looking listless, Zhan Mo Han quickly put down his files, chased Fang Xun out, and rushed to help her up.
"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Wei Yu Meng, seeing him, pointed pitifully at her stomach. His first reaction was that her stomach was unwell, and he immediately scooped her up, preparing to take her to the hospital.
Wei Yu Meng, who was simply hungry, almost had her heart leap out of her chest when he picked her up like that. She quickly hooked her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"Don't be afraid, I'm taking you to the hospital right now."
Seeing his serious expression, Wei Yu Meng couldn't help but burst into laughter, which confused him.
"You..."
"I mean I'm hungry. What did you think?"
For a moment, their figures froze at the office doorway. Zhan Mo Han looked at the woman in his arms and suddenly felt awkward. He slowly put her down and turned away.
Wei Yu Meng looked at his back and saw that his earlobes seemed to be blushing. He must have been embarrassed.
So, she deliberately leaned her head closer and indeed saw him looking uncomfortable. Noticing her gaze, he cleared his throat deliberately. "You're hungry, so I'll take you out for dinner."
With that, he took her hand and led her out. However, as they drove away from the company, Wei Yu Meng decided she didn't want to eat out. "How about we eat at home?"
Zhan Mo Han was still recovering from his recent embarrassment and agreed without fully processing her words. After a while, he asked, "What should we eat at home?"
"Let's make dumplings."
Thinking about it, Wei Yu Meng realized she hadn't eaten dumplings in a long time. However, her suggestion posed a challenge for Zhan Mo Han. "I don't know how to make dumplings."
"I'll teach you."
Following Wei Yu Meng's instructions, they first went to the supermarket together to buy ingredients. By the time they returned home, laden with bags, the sky was gradually darkening.
Wei Yu Meng, having rested all afternoon, was full of energy. She found two aprons at home and put them on herself and Zhan Mo Han. But something felt off.
Zhan Mo Han stood with his hands outstretched, looking helpless. "Don't you think I should change clothes first?"
His reminder made Wei Yu Meng realize that he was still wearing his suit under the apron, which explained the awkwardness.
Taking off the apron, Zhan Mo Han walked into the bedroom to change. However, his phone on the kitchen counter began to vibrate.
Wei Yu Meng picked it up. It was a text message from Jiang Si Yu, that persistent woman.
"A Han, have you investigated sufficiently between Wei Yu Meng and Xin Ran? Just because the child is yours, you believe everything she says?"
"A Han, I admit I shouldn't have targeted Mu Lin Jing today, but I did it entirely because I care about you. I made a mistake in a moment of confusion, and you want to kick me out of the company?"
The messages kept coming, and Wei Yu Meng couldn't read them as fast as they were arriving.
When Zhan Mo Han came out, his phone was still in her hand, vibrating incessantly as if infected.